A1 Refereed original research article in a scientific journal
Chlamydia-Like Organisms (CLOs) in Finnish Ixodes ricinus Ticks and Human Skin
Authors: Kati Hokynar, Jani J. Sormunen, Eero J. Vesterinen, Esa K. Partio, Thomas Lilley, Veera Timonen, Jaana Panelius, Annamari Ranki, Mirja Puolakkainen
Publisher: M D P I AG
Publication year: 2016
Journal: Microorganisms
Article number: 28
Volume: 4
Issue: 3
Number of pages: 10
ISSN: 2076-2607
eISSN: 2076-2607
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/microorganisms4030028
Web address : http://www.mdpi.com/2076-2607/4/3/28/htm
Abstract
Ticks carry several human pathogenic microbes including Borreliae and Flavivirus causing tick-born encephalitis. Ticks can also carry DNA of Chlamydia-like
organisms (CLOs). The purpose of this study was to investigate the
occurrence of CLOs in ticks and skin biopsies taken from individuals
with suspected tick bite. DNA from CLOs was detected by pan-Chlamydiales-PCR
in 40% of adult ticks from southwestern Finland. The estimated minimal
infection rate for nymphs and larvae (studied in pools) was 6% and 2%,
respectively. For the first time, we show CLO DNA also in human skin as
68% of all skin biopsies studied contained CLO DNA as determined through
pan-Chlamydiales-PCR. Sequence
analyses based on the 16S rRNA gene fragment indicated that the
sequences detected in ticks were heterogeneous, representing various CLO
families; whereas the majority of the sequences from human skin
remained “unclassified Chlamydiales”
and might represent a new family-level lineage. CLO sequences detected
in four skin biopsies were most closely related to “uncultured Chlamydial bacterium clones from Ixodes ricinus
ticks” and two of them were very similar to CLO sequences from Finnish
ticks. These results suggest that CLO DNA is present in human skin;
ticks carry CLOs and could potentially transmit CLOs to humans.
Ticks carry several human pathogenic microbes including Borreliae and Flavivirus causing tick-born encephalitis. Ticks can also carry DNA of Chlamydia-like
organisms (CLOs). The purpose of this study was to investigate the
occurrence of CLOs in ticks and skin biopsies taken from individuals
with suspected tick bite. DNA from CLOs was detected by pan-Chlamydiales-PCR
in 40% of adult ticks from southwestern Finland. The estimated minimal
infection rate for nymphs and larvae (studied in pools) was 6% and 2%,
respectively. For the first time, we show CLO DNA also in human skin as
68% of all skin biopsies studied contained CLO DNA as determined through
pan-Chlamydiales-PCR. Sequence
analyses based on the 16S rRNA gene fragment indicated that the
sequences detected in ticks were heterogeneous, representing various CLO
families; whereas the majority of the sequences from human skin
remained “unclassified Chlamydiales”
and might represent a new family-level lineage. CLO sequences detected
in four skin biopsies were most closely related to “uncultured Chlamydial bacterium clones from Ixodes ricinus
ticks” and two of them were very similar to CLO sequences from Finnish
ticks. These results suggest that CLO DNA is present in human skin;
ticks carry CLOs and could potentially transmit CLOs to humans.
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